So almost exactly four years ago — January 21, 2012 — the Flames were set to take on the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall place. In honour of their impending victory I wrote a little poem in the pregame thread.
Amazingly, four long years later, and the content still holds up incredibly well. Only a few minor substitutions (represented in brackets) are needed:
So here’s the deal
A little spiel
Tonight the Flames must win
To lose this game
Would be a shame
In fact it’d be a sin
The Oilers suck
Can’t shoot the puck
And (farm team) is a drunk
Again on pace
For near last place
Oh who’d have ever thunk?
There is no doubt
Fans will be out
In fine dress shoes and sweats
They’ll slurp their beer
And give a cheer
That sounds quite like turrets
Their mullet’s combed
Or forehead’s domed
And girls that pass as guys
No surprise why
The teammates try
To slice eachother’s eyes
The Flames need points
Like punks need joints
Tonight’s an easy two
With (Bennett) hot
And (Gaudreau’s) shot
A loss will just not do
So mount your steed
And grab the lead
For we will play the spoilers
Like West Ed Mall
The roof will fall
Tonight we beat the Oilers!!
So ‘Bulin, Iginla and Kipper’s names had to be replaced, and their haven’t been any recent reports of Oilers stepping on Hall’s face, but amazingly not much has changed the last four years. I mean, despite adding two more number one draft picks, and a #3 and #7 as well, the Oilers again find themselves on pace for another shot at 30 in a 30 team league. How incredible.
The Flames would win 6-2 on that night, led by an improbable hattrick from Lee Stempniak. They wouldn’t be so fortunate on this night, as an impressive start was kept in check by the play of Cam Talbot, and then the Flames would sit back in hope their lone goal might be enough.
Their first overtime appearance in over a month would have Flames fans hopeful for Gaudreau-vertime, but the putrid powerplay would once again cost them dearly. The Flames would be the ones to fall on this night, as a Teddy Purcell shootout goal would snap the Flames’ winning streak at Rexall Place at seven games.
On The Line
A matchup of the bottom dwellers of the Western Conference. Though if the Flames can win their games in hand they’ll be right back in the thick of the playoff race. This five game road trip against some of the weak sisters of the NHL will be crucial in sustaining their playoff hopes.
The Flow
A bitterly cold night in Edmonton as Calgary paid visit to an equally bitter Provincial rival. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one curious if their fantastic effort against the Florida Panthers, a 6-0 drubbing, would carry over to start the road trip. It certainly appeared so in the first few minutes with the Flames buzzing around the Oilers like they were pylons, their orange jerseys perfectly befitting. After a few near misses it looked like they would open the scoring as Sean Monahan collected his own rebound and a no look backhand pass found a wide open Brodie. But Cam Talbot, trying to escape his backup role, made an impressive stretching glove save. Talbot had no answer for Sam Bennett however, as the hottest stick in the NHL would open the scoring a few minutes later. Bennett would take a feed from Mikael Backlund, and showing off the hands that will make him this week’s NHL first star, go forehand-backhand before flipping the puck into a yawning cage. The rest of the period was best defined as ugly. Firstly to represent the powerplay efforts of the Calgary Flames and secondly to represent the newest Edmonton Oiler Zack Kassian, who would drill Dennis Wideman from behind and later crosscheck down Mark Giordano. Both efforts would garner some heated words from Brandon Bollig but only the latter would send him to the sin bin, carrying over into the second frame.
A lackluster opening powerplay would set the table for an equally dull second period. Hopes of a Bollig, Kassian dust-up would prove fruitless, as would any rare scoring opportunity. Most notable was the shutout streak of Jonas Hiller stretching over 100 minutes before the period expired. Most of those minutes were quite elementary, but as the tide started to turn later in the period, Hiller would be tested. An omen for the period to come.
The Flames would try to sit back and protect the one-goal lead in the third. Always a risky strategy. To his credit Jonas Hiller stood tall in the Flames crease, just his second start in the Flames crease in over a month, fighting off high risers and booting out low pucks that the defense would manage to clear. But the armor would finally be chinked halfway through the frame. Taylor Hall would win a clean draw off Mikael Backlund, and Bennett would be unable to catch Mark Fayne before he snapped the puck glove side past Hiller to even the score. The rest of the period felt quite tense as the Oilers would continue to press for a few minutes before both teams settled into defensive shell and a guaranteed point as the game would slide into overtime.
The Flames have been the best overtime team in the NHL this season. So how do you stop the most potent 3-on-3 team in the league? Why give them a powerplay of course. Surely that wasn’t the set strategy of Edmonton going in, but Darnell Nurse’s infraction just two minutes in went a long way in preventing the Flames from finding success in the overtime frame.
Of course just as the Flames bench the struggling Joe Colborne they would enter their first shootout contest since December 1st. Say what you will about the lanky man’s game, but he is a magician in the shootout with his gargantuan reach and silky hands. The Flames sputtered in this one. Gaudreau and Monahan would both lose the handle on their attempts before Teddy Purcell snapped one fivehole on a leaning Hiller. The hottest Flame, Sam Bennett would get his first crack at an NHL shootout, and pulled out a nifty backhand move but couldn’t beat a zoned in Talbot who was really on his game tonight.
2-1 final. A little solace in the loser point for Flames fans, but losing to the last place Oilers always carries a bit of extra sting.
Three Stars
- Cam Talbot: If not for his work early on this game could have been a blowout. 31 saves. And about 31 mentions of his recent conversation with his old NewYork Ranger goalie coach.
- Jonas Hiller: If didn’t look smooth, but big props to the Swiss netminder making just his second start in 35 days. Held the fort in the third and a big reason for the Flames securing an important point.
- T.J. Brodie: So dangerous all night. Unfortunate not to open the scoring.
Big Save
Already explained in the game flow, Talbot’s early glove save robbing Brodie of a sure goal. A sign of things to come as he was excellent all night.
Big Hit
In the early going Ferland delivered an expert pass to the stick of Gaudreau for a quality chance, and after the Oiler defense recovered to clear the puck Ferland would crush one for his efforts. Quality shift, and if that’s a taste of what he can offer he might become a permanent fixture on the top line.
The Goat
The Flames powerplay. My goodness, figure it out! The Flames are comprised of highly intelligent and skilled individuals, but for some reason a 5-on-3 advantage turns into an episode of the five stooges. It cost them the extra point tonight when they failed to capitalize in overtime.
Mr. Clutch
Sam Bennett continued with his new found confidence, tallying his sixth goal in his last three games. These aren’t lucky goals either. His hands are incredible infront of the net and a sign that the 19 game goalless streak that preceded may be the last of its kind in Bennett’s career.
Odds and Ends
- These Odds and Ends are brought to you by the number Seven.
- Seven. The number of one goal games the Oilers have taken part in coming in to tonight’s contest. That has now been extended to eight, and their record in that span has improved to 3-3-2.
- Seven. The number of consecutive wins the Flames held over the Oilers at Rexall Place, which was snapped tonight.
- Seven. The Flames finish the season with seven games against divisional rivals, at least according to play-by-play announcer Paul Romanuk. He seems to be forgetting that the Minnesota Wild don’t play in the same division as the Flames anymore. Anyway his point is still important, six of Calgary’s last seven come against Pacific division foes, before their last regular season game takes place in Minnesota on April 9th. Keep close in the standings and they should still control their own fate coming into the final stretch run.
- It brings me great joy whenever the puck gets sent over the glass for a delay of game penalty, and no fewer than nine bodies on the ice all lift their arms in the air, five from the non-infraction team and the four officials. It’s like a dance party on the ice. Speaking of, their was an odd play with just a few minutes left as two Oilers went into a synchronized arm lifting sequence following a close chance that misfired. What that was about I still have no idea.
Next Up
The Flames continue the roadtrip with a stop on the east coast to battle the New Jersey Devils. Tuesday January 19, 5 pm puckdrop on Sportsnet.
Lines (To Start):
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Micheal Ferland
Sam Bennett – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Mason Raymond – Marcus Granlund – David Jones
Josh Jooris – Matt Stajan – Joe Colborne
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Kris Russell – Dougie Hamilton
Deryk Engelland – Dennis Wideman
Jonas Hiller
